Artisan Overview

Our Producers

Lucia's Imports is committed to working under Fair Trade guidelines and developing long term partnerships with Guatemalan families, artisan groups and cooperatives to produce and export high quality accessories and handicrafts. Our trading partnerships ensure artisans earn a living wage in the local context, work under safe and healthy working conditions, are provided equal opportunities, and engage in environmentally sustainable practices.

Farming is the primary source of income for many Mayan people in Guatemala. Creating a market for textiles, jewelry, and ceramics creates additional job opportunities and employs various skill sets, thereby enabling people to earn a reliable income amid seasonal fluctuations in the farming industry.

Purses and Coin Bags

Weaving has long been a tradition among the Mayan women of Guatemala. The daily attire of many Mayan women consists of cortes (handwoven skirts) and huipiles (wee-peels, hand-embroidered, poncho like blouses). The huipil has evolved as textile technologies and fashions change, but is a clothing tradition that can be traced to precolonial Mesoamerica.

Requiring more time and skill than their commercial contemporaries, handwoven textiles are more expensive to make than mass-produced textiles woven by machines. Because of this, Mayan women struggle to practice their traditional weaving skills.

Lucia's Imports works with Miguel Perez and his family to design a line of purses, accessories, and coin bags. Designs for our purses and coin bags incorporate both new and used textiles in an effort to preserve both the tradition of huipil and the art of weaving. The Perez family now employs many people in their village, offering them a fair wage, lifestyle, and community.

Jewelry

Lucia's Imports works with Mayan women around the shores of Lake Atitlán to transform their beautiful weaving tradition into hand beaded jewelry. Acquiring new skills and a market for their jewelry creates hope and prosperity for many artisans who can now work in their homes. Their designs are rich in beauty, tradition, and color. Treasure your beads as we treasure and respect the Mayan culture of Guatemala.

Scarves

Lucia's Import's lightweight cotton scarves and shawls are handmade on foot looms by women living in the highlands of Totonicapán, Guatemala. In order to preserve this tradition, Lucia's Imports has worked many years with Zoila Xon and her small weaving group of about 20 women. From the sale of their scarves, they have been able to increase their family incomes and build a better community.

Ceramicas Polopo

Ceramicas Polopo is a family run business located on the shores of Lake Atitlán in San Antonio, Polopo, Solola, Guatemala. The Perez family makes unique animals, coffee cups, vases and other stoneware items. Ceramicas are high fired for durability and decorated with lead free glazes. The Perez family learned their pottery technique under the instruction of Ken Edwards, who came to Guatemala looking for a source of clay. Mr. Edwards, an American who studied art in Japan, had previously established himself as a well-known potter in Mexico. San Antonio Polopo was where he settled. As the Perez family familiarized themselves in the technique of Mr. Edwards, they began to develop their own decorating styles.